Two chassis-leasing companies, DCLI and TRAC Intermodal, will add 3,000 chassis to their Southern California fleets in response to a request by the Port of Long Beach that the private sector step up its efforts to help relieve the growing chassis problem in the harbor.

When APL earlier this week informed its importer customers that the APL Norway was being diverted from Los Angeles “due to congestion at Global Gateway South,” it caused all importers and exporters that use the Los Angeles-Long Beach gateway to cringe. Would other terminals in the nation’s largest port complex plunge into another round of congestion?

TRAC Intermodal CEO Keith Lovetro says he’s optimistic a “gray” chassis pool can be created for the Port of New York and New Jersey, but that chassis providers should have a say in how the portwide pool is governed.